Need to verify something I just noticed after two years....

In the energy display in the navigation screen, is that the 12 volt battery sitting atop of the traction battery display?

Four grey bars with plus and minus signs on each side?

I was asking for a 12 volt battery charge display last week and there it is....doh!




must be the new glasses....

 

I dont think so...even if it was, it doesnt show you the actual charge

I think the energy monitor is pretty accurate in terms of location and pictorial reference. Obviously the 12V is not right next to the traction battery and is actually in the trunk (right?) so I would think the grey bars you see are just part of the outer shell of the traction battery.

Either way, it is useless if that is the 12V seeing as how it doesnt show the charage state

 

Ok, you got me curious. I hadn't noticed it before so I even went to the car and checked it. It's so innocuous I didn't even see it till I stared at it. So had to get out the book, all three of them , and tho the images such as the one RXSF posted did show it, none explained it.

Agreeing with RXSF as well that it's probably just the top traction battery shell it's probably useless as it really doesn't indicate anything. But ..... If anyone else out there in (h) land ever see's that grey box losing bars then post here as it's probably an indicator the 12v is dying. At least those are affordable.

Getting my 30k done in about a month and I plan on asking them to check it's condition as I hear it's a pain when it dies. I'm also to believe if it's replaced before it becomes terminal, connections of power can be kept through the process (from another battery) so no data is lost in the computers. If anyone has personal experience on this process, shoot a post here. But please don't speculate.

 

Well the 12V doesnt even stay constant so that bar should be fluctuating. When you first start the engine, it should be closer to 10V and then as the alternator starts charging it, it should avg 12.7 or something

 

Jim,

Won't speculate, but I drained the 12 volt in the first or second week of ownership. By then I didn't have much to lose, nor would have known what I lost. Yes, 12 volt dying is ugly. I know I wouldn't want it to happen in the dead of winter. Getting to the battery in back is out for me, always stuff back there plus a WeatherTech and getting to the terminals up front involves removing a plastic cover and those easy to lose button snaps. Not bad, but wearing gloves would make it be a pain.

 

Well - I have a 2010 RX450h, and the battery went deader than the proverbial door-nail; had to get the Lexus road service over to the house. The Tech jumped the car, started it, and advised to drive it to the dealership for a possible change in the 12-volt battery. I thought, great. Will do. Four hundred dollars later, and a new battery was installed. Looking back (through my personal rearview mirror), I could have ordered one for less than half that cost ($65 of which was labor, and I had a $30 chitty taken off from my service agreement - WOOT!). Lesson learned - after about five years, have the 12-volt battery checked for load capability, and if it is marginal, replace it yourself. Even the service people could not believe how expensive a 12-volt battery was from Lexus for a hybrid. I thought I would at least get an iPad with the battery.